25 Fairytale Places to Visit in Switzerland for a Surreal Experience!

Switzerland is in a true sense a fairytale location and a travelers paradise. Switzerland with its wooden chalets, lush green meadows, serene blue lakes, snow-capped mountains and the jingle of cowbells along with not-to-be-missed delectable cheese and the chocolates beckon tourists from all over the world. Switzerland is brimming with many wonderful and fairy tale locations which makes it practically impossible to make an exhaustive list of best places to visit in Switzerland.

We lived in Switzerland for more than a year and still, we keep finding new places which we couldn’t cover during our numerous trips when in the beautiful country. Some of the destinations listed here are hidden gems from the beautiful valleys of Switzerland and others are the most popular tourist places in Switzerland without visiting which your trip to Switzerland would be incomplete. We are sure the places listed here would give you a real feel of the surreal beauty of the land of Switzerland.

The Medieval Town of Gruyeres

Gruyeres is a charming medieval town in the Fribourg canton of Switzerland. The medieval town sits on a small hill overlooking the lush green meadows surrounded by hills. The main square of the town is surrounded by historic buildings and pretty chalets adorned with overflowing flowers. Most of these buildings are occupied by restaurants and cafes where you can try some local special Gruyeres Cheese dishes.

One of the top things to do in the town of Gruyeres is the medieval castle which dates back to the 13th-century. The Gruyeres Castle houses a museum with an interesting collection of artifacts, furnishings, and paintings from the times of its glory. A multimedia show provides you with information on the history of the castle and the region of Gruyeres.

There are several unique museums in the town. The HR Giger Museum displays a permanent collection of paintings, sculptures and other important works of Swiss artist Hans Ruedi Giger. The Tibet Museum houses a wonderful collection of over 300 Buddhist sculptures, statues, paintings and other religious items.

Your visit to Gruyeres is incomplete without a visit to the La Maison Cailler chocolate factory which is one of the most popular chocolate factories of Switzerland. A tour of the factory walks you through the history of chocolate, chocolate manufacturing section where you can watch the chocolate processing from raw materials to final products and finally the most awaited part of the tour, the unlimited chocolate tasting.

The town of Gruyeres is also popular for the Gruyeres Cheese which one of the fine cheese well-known all over the world. You can visit the factory and take a tour of the Gruyeres Cheese Factory. The tour includes information on cheese processing, understanding the detailed information on what gives the Gruyeres Cheese its unique flavor and even indulge in some free cheese tasting.

The Historic Chillon Castle

The Chateau de Chillon or the Chillon Castle is a popular castle in Switzerland. It is located near the city of Montreux and is one of the top things to do on in Montreux. The castle can be easily reached by a 10 minutes bus ride from the main train station of Montreux. There are also several boats running from Geneva to Montreux with a stop at the Chillon Castle.

The castle sits in a picturesque location on the shores of Lake Geneva with a backdrop of the snow-capped Alps. The castle entrance can be reached by a small roof-covered wooden bridge which also has the ticket counter. The castle with the wooden bridge, towers and tiny windows in the walls looks like it is taken straight out of a storybook.

What can be more awe-inspiring than a visit to a castle with 1000 years of history? The castle has several rooms, halls, and courtyards which can be explored. The rooms and halls of the castle have been recreated to bring the history and legends of the castle back to life which is a unique and wonderful experience for the visitors. During the tour of the castle do peek through some of the tiny windows in the wall, they offer breathtaking views of the blue lake and the Alps. For the best-unparalleled views climb up the castle tower for the panoramic views of the surrounding. If you are driving all the way to the castle there are plenty of free parking spaces available on either side of the road.

There is a small park next to the castle where you can sit and take in the majestic views of the Lake Geneva and the Alps. The lakeside promenade of the city of Montreux is lined with historic buildings and decorated with colorful flowerbeds. We recommend you walk back to the station and enjoy the amazing views.

Glacier 3000

Glacier 3000 is a popular snow resort with snow all through the year. To reach Glacier 3000 one has to take a train from Montreux or Gstaad to Les Diablerets which takes around an hour. From the village of Les Diablerets take a bus to Col-du-Pillon, Glacier 3000 and thereafter a cable car to Glacier 3000 at 3,000 m. The terrace at the summit offers breathtaking views of the Alps, you can also enjoy the views sitting comfortably inside the Botta restaurant on the summit.

There are plenty of things to do in Glacier 3000 like riding the Ice Express chairlift, a thrilling walk on the suspension bridge of Peak Walk by Tissot or indulge in fun snow activities like toboggan run, Husky dog sled ride, snowboarding, snow bus rides and more. Check here for more details.

The Resort Town of Interlaken

The beautiful resort town of Interlaken is one of our favorite places in Switzerland. We have been to this charming town like umpteen times, to explore some of the breathtaking locations in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland. The town of Interlaken is located at the intersection of Thun and the Brienz Lakes which are amongst the gorgeous lakes of Switzerland. There are plenty of attractions, small villages, and mountain summits with viewpoints around these lakes that are some of the top tourist attractions in Switzerland. These Switzerland attractions can be reached either by bus or by boat from Interlaken.

The town of Interlaken itself offers plenty of amazing things to do like the town has some great branded shops where you can go shopping, hiking and biking trails for adventure lovers and go cruising for a relaxed holiday or to explore the scenic vistas in and around Interlaken.

The funicular station to reach Harder Kulm is just 5 minutes walk from the Interlaken Ost station.

One of the major attraction in Interlaken is its charming Old Town which has lovely chalets bedecked with flowers on either side of the Aare River. Wandering the streets of the Interlaken Old Town is like a Timewarp. The Golden Pass is a scenic train route in Switzerland which runs from the city of Montreux to Lucerne passes through the town of Interlaken. You can plan to combine the Golden Pass train ride with a visit to Interlaken.

Interlaken is a couple of hours train ride from the city of Zurich and about an hour from the Swiss capital city of Bern. If you are based out of Geneva the train journey is close to 3 hours.

St Beatus Caves

St Beatus Caves is a spectacular system of limestone caves in the district of Interlaken in Switzerland. The limestone formations in the cave are made up of stalactites and stalagmites in various shapes and sizes. The entrance to the cave is located on the top of the hill which can be reached by a 10-minute hike up on a wooden walkway. The way up offers great views of the shimmering blue Thun Lake and the Alps.

St Beatus Caves can be reached by a 15 minutes bus ride from Interlaken Ost (East) bus station with a stop at the Interlaken West. There are also boats running from Interlaken West to the caves. The boat stop is located some 10 minutes walk away from the caves and then you will need another 10 minutes to hike up to the entrance.

At the top of the hill near the cave entrance, there is a self-service restaurant where you can buy yourself something to eat and drink, they serve pizzas and french fries too. The terrace of the restaurant offers breathtaking views of the Lake Thun and the snow-covered Alps. For the tour of the caves, you can either join a guided tour or take a tour of the caves on your own with the help of the St Beatus caves app which has all the information about the formation of the caves.

The St Beatus Caves Museum collection comprises of various minerals and crystals that were found in the caves. An audio-guided tour will walk you through the history and origin of the caves with loads of information on the St Beatus Caves.

Aare Gorge

Aare Gorge is one of the hidden gems in the fairytale land of Switzerland. The magnificent gorge is located in the town of Meiringen, in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland. The amazing gorge is carved out of the limestone cliff by the mighty Aare River. The walk through the gorge offers incredible views of the canyon, a waterfall and a dried out glacier bed.

There are two entrances to the gorge – Western (nearest station Aareschlucht West) and Eastern (nearest station Innertkirchen). Both the entrances/exit are connected by a 1.4 km wooden walkway winding in and out of the tunnels along the walls of the cliff.

Interlaken to Aare Gorge is about an hours train ride with a train change at Meiringen. There are train stations at both the entrance, the stop at the station close to Innertkirchen at the Eastern entrance is on request. It makes it easy to enter through one entrance and exit through the other.

The walk through the gorge is easy and comfortable and wheelchair feasible. The premises also has a facility for parking, a souvenir shop, and a restaurant.

Reichenbach Falls

A visit to the magnificent Reichenbach Falls can be combined with the visit to Aare Gorge. Board the train from Aare Gorge back towards Meiringen and get down at Reichenbach Falls Station (Meiringen Alpbach). From here the funicular station is 10 minutes walk through the lush countryside. The ride up in Reichenbach funicular takes us to the viewing platform right at the face of the waterfalls. The viewing platform is popular as the site where Sherlock Holmes fought Professor Moriarty in ‘The Final Problem’ which was one of the episodes of the British television series Sherlock. One can also hike up the mountain for a panoramic view of the falls and the surrounding.

We recommend you walk the couple of km from Aare Gorge to the funicular station which rewards with the breathtaking vistas of the Bernese Oberland region. The quaint Swiss villages with chalets and their backyards teeming with colorful flowers and apple trees is a treat to the eyes.

Ballenberg Museum

Ballenberg is an open-air museum in Switzerland offering its visitors with a quintessential Swiss experience. The museum comprises of over 100 residential and agricultural buildings like farmhouses, stables or the barns. Each of these buildings has been brought into the museum from their original site and displayed in the Ballenberg Open Air Museum.

Some of these buildings have their kitchens and rooms decorated to give an idea of traditional Swiss houses and the lifestyle of the people of the different regions of Switzerland.

Ballenberg Open-air museum is located near Brienz Village in the Canton of Bern. The museum can be reached by a 15-minutes bus ride from the Brienz main train station. The bus winding through the village offers lovely views of the pretty chalets along the blue lake of Brienz and the breathtaking view of the countryside. There are two entrances to the museum and the bus stops at both the entrances. Both the entrances have a souvenir shop and a ticket counter. There are several restaurants, picnic areas and Barbeques inside the museum premises.

Once at the museum pick up a self-guided walking tour map from the ticket counter. Wander through the beautiful countryside, through the animal farms, barns, watch cheese processing, people working at farms, cows grazing and enjoy a slice of the surreal land of Switzerland.

The Magnificent RhineFalls

The Rhine Falls also known as the Rhein Falls is the largest waterfalls and one of the popular landmarks in Switzerland. The waterfalls also the largest in Europe is located on the Swiss-German border in between the cantons of Zurich and Schaffhausen. One of the best ways to experience the power and magnificence of the Rhine Waterfalls is to take a boat which sails close to the falls and you can feel the chill and splash of the falls on your face. You can also take a boat trip to the Rheinfallfelsen a large limestone cliff that stands in the middle of the powerful Falls. One can climb the rock for amazing panoramic views of the falls and its surrounding.

On the other side of the Rhine Falls is the Schloss Laufen castle which can be reached by boat. There are several viewing platforms on the side of the Schloss Laufen castle which offers an incredible view of the falls. While the Belvedere viewing platform is wheelchair accessible, the Kanzeli and Fischnetz viewing platforms can be reached only by steps. You can also take a ride in the glass lift for panoramic views of the Rhine falls. The riverside promenade and the Schloss Laufen castle on the other side of the Rhine River have several restaurants where you can buy something to eat and drink. The Schloss Laufen castle also has an interesting Historama Museum which offers information on the history of the castle and Rhine Falls through exhibits displayed in the 11 rooms across 2 floors. They also organize guided tours on facts and history of the castle and falls for the visitors. And when you are here do not miss spectacular illumination of the Rhine Falls after dusk.

Rhine Falls is less than an hours ride from Zurich. You can either get down at Neuhausen Rheinfall station which has a direct train from Zurich or at Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall which can be reached from Zurich with a train change at Winterthur.

The Old Town Bern

Bern the capital city of Switzerland is one of the best cities to visit in Switzerland and a popular tourist attraction. The Swiss capital has a well-preserved architecture and cultural charm in its Old Town. The cobblestone streets of the Old Town is dotted with gorgeous colorful fountains which date back to the 16th-century.

As you walk towards the Old Town you will come across the medieval clock tower Kafigturm. In the square next to the tower a flea market is held every Saturday, the market is said to be over 100 years old. The first stop when you enter the old town is the iconic landmark of Bern the 13th-century clock tower Zytglogge. Do not miss the show put up by medieval figures of the tower four minutes before the hour.

The other important Bern attraction is the 15th-century Gothic Bern Cathedral. The climb up the tower offers wonderful views of the city. There is a garden next to the cathedral which also has some of the amazing views of the Bern rooftops and the winding Aare River.

Bern also offers a wide range of options if you are looking to indulge in a shopping spree. Apart from the flea market, there is a myriad of branded shops in the Old Town.

If you are visiting with kids do not miss a visit to Bear’s park and watch the bears play around alongside the Aare River and the Einstein House to learn about the great physicist.

The Beautiful City of Lucerne

The beautiful city of Lucerne straddling the River Reuss is yet another Swiss city which should definitely be on your must-visit list of places in Switzerland. The major draw for Lucerne is its two popular landmarks the stunning Chapel Bridge and the historically important Lion monument.

The flower-bedecked Chapel Bridge spanning the River Reuss surround by the medieval buildings of the Lucerne City Old Town and the Alps in the backdrop is one of the postcard-perfect pictures of Switzerland. Start your Lucerne City sightseeing from the Chapel Bridge which is just about 5 minutes walk from the Lucerne main train station. Then head into the Old Town which has some lovely medieval buildings with their facades decorated with frescoes and some gorgeous fountains.

The other important landmark of Lucerne is the Lion Monument which is some 10 minutes walk from the train station. The monument is dedicated to the Swiss Guards who were massacred during the French Revolution.

The Swiss Transport Museum in Lucerne is one of its kind with life-size models of trains, planes, and cars which is a must-visit for automobile fans as well as for the kids.

Apart of the city sightseeing, there are plenty of other things to do in the city, for instance, you can plan a day trip to the summit of Pilatus Mountain, Rigi Kulm or Mount Titlis.

Rigi – Queen of Mountains

Mount Rigi popularly known as the ‘Queen of the Mountains’ is a mountain massif of the Alps surrounded by Lake Lucerne, Lake Zug, and Lake Lauerza. The summit has a well-paved path around the edge of the mountain and offers great views over the city, lakes and of the surrounding mountains. There are a lot of hiking trails around Rigi that offers wonderful panoramic views of the surrounding.

There are two ways to reach the summit. Take a ferry starting from Lucerne and get down at Weggis. Take a cable car from Weggis to Rigi Kaltbad which has a mountain resort located amidst the lush nature. From here continue to the summit of Rigi Kulm by a cogwheel train. The other option is to get down at Vitznau and take the cogwheel train all the way up to the summit. The cogwheel train is served by Rigi Railways which is Europe’s oldest mountain. Either way, you will be rewarded with wonderful views of the lakes, valleys and the meadows dotted with wildflowers and grazing cows.

There are plenty of accommodation options like hostels and mountain lodges on Rigi Mountain if you are looking to spend a night. The summit also has a restaurant and a souvenir shop.

Blausee – The Blue Lake

Blausee is a gorgeous crystal-clear deep blue lake in the Kander valley of Bernese Oberland. The lake is set in a picturesque location surrounded by verdant forests of pine trees with a backdrop of mountains. The nature park of Blausee is a popular picnic spot. There are several Barbeque grill stands across the park with table and chairs which makes it a perfect spot for a family day out. You can walk around the lake on well-paved walking paths and bridge. Explore the mystical underwater woods and trouts of the crystal clear lake with a ride on the glass-bottom boat. Do not miss the statue of a girl underwater, accordingly to the legend she was found dead in the lake which turned the color of the lake to the blue color of her eyes.

There are a restaurant, a pizzeria and a hotel located in the nature park if you are looking to spend a night.

Oeschinensee – The Mountain Lake

Oeschinen Lake or the Oeschinensee is a mountain lake in the Oeschinen valley surrounded by high rocky mountains. The bus to Oeschinensee drops you at the Oeschinensee cable car station. Once at the summit, you can either walk or take a small electric car up to the lake. There are numerous hiking trails around the lake which offers breathtaking views of the scenic vistas of the mountains and the gorgeous lake ofOeschinen.

The lake is also a winter attraction for adventure hikers when it is usually frozen. Several activities like winter hiking, ice walking, ice fishing, and ice skating are organized.

One of the romantic things to do here is to explore the lake and its surrounding on a rowing boat. The wooded area next to the lake also makes for a great picnic spot. There is a restaurant with food and stay options available next to the lake.

Next to the cable car station, on the summit, there is a toboggan run if you are looking for more adventure.

Both lakes can be visited on the same day as a day trip from Spiez. To get to Blausee boarded a train to Spiez and then to Kandersteg. From Kandersteg Bahnhof take a bus towards Kandergrund you will find a stop for Blausee and Oschenensee on the way.

The Alpine Village of Murren

Murren is a traditional Alpine village of Walser in Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland. The village sits above the valley of Lauterbrunnen at an elevation of 1,650 m. Interlaken Ost to Lauterbrunnen is a 20 minutes train ride. From Lauterbrunnen, there are 2 ways to get to the mountain village of Murren. From Lauterbrunnen take a yellow post bus to Stechelberg, from there board the Schilthornbahn cableway to Gimmelwald, and then up to Murren. The other option is to take an aerial cableway from Lauterbrunnen to Grutschalp and then a train to Murren. The Murrenbahn cablecar station is located opposite the main train station of Lauterbrunnen. The train ride to Murren through the wooden forest offers scenic views of the three peaks of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau range.

Murren is popular for adventure activities like paragliding, Mountain biking, and hiking. Numerous themed walks and trails start from the village. It is not possible to drive up to the village of Murren and hence the village is carfree which makes it even wonderful to explore. Wandering through the village you will be rewarded with the magnificent panoramic views of the Swiss Alps including the three mighty mountains of Eiger, Monch, and the Jungfrau. There is plenitude of accommodation options in the village making it a perfect holiday resort.

One can also take a cable car from Murren to the summit of Mount. Schilthorn. Mount. Schilthorn is popularly known as the James Bond Mountain after the James Bond film ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ was shot here. The summit offers a panoramic view of the Alps from the sun terrace and from the revolving Piz Gloria summit restaurant.

Lauterbrunnen – The Valley of 72 Waterfalls!

The beautiful village of Lauterbrunnen is about 20 minutes train ride from Interlaken Ost station. The village is set in a picturesque location surrounded by dramatic rocky cliffs and alpine meadows in the Lauterbrunnen Valley. Lauterbrunnen is known as the Valley of 72 waterfalls for the astounding 72 waterfalls that cascade down the steep cliffs of the valley.

The peppered chalets in the valley with the famous 300 meter-high Staubbach Fall in the backdrop is one of the breathtaking vistas of the village. Another popular waterfall of the Lauterbrunnen Valley is the Trummelbach Waterfalls. From Lauterbrunnen take a bus towards Stechelberg, a 7-minute bus ride and then some 5 minutes walk will get you to Trummelbach Waterfalls. Visitors can walk the wooden walkways, tunnels and the numerous platforms built to experience the might of the roaring Trummelbach Falls formed by a series of 10 glacier-fed waterfalls inside the mountain.

You can also combine your visit to Lauterbrunnen with a visit to the mountain village of Wengen, which is about 15 minutes ride by train. Wengen is a charming village with lovely flower adorned timber houses and wooden chalets at the foot of the magnificent Jungfrau mountain range.

Grindelwald First

Grindelwald is a charming quintessential alpine village some half an hour train ride from Interlaken Ost. The wooden chalets sprinkled on the lush green meadows with a backdrop of gigantic snow mountains is an awe-inspiring sight to behold.

From Grindelwald, a couple of minutes bus ride will get you to the base of the cable car station to Grindelwald First. The 25 minutes gondola ride to the summit of First offers a spectacular view of the village of Grindelwald at the foot of the massive mountains. One can also hike all the way up through the well-marked hiking trails winding through the houses and farms on the mountain slopes.

From the mid station of Schreckfeld, one can either take a gondola to the summit station of First or for a more thrilling experience ride the First Flyer. From the summit, you can trek to the Bachalpsee, one of the most beautiful lakes in Switzerland or dare a walk on the thrilling First Cliff Walk for breathtaking views of the mountains and the deep valleys. There is also a restaurant on the summit with a sun terrace if you want to have something to eat.

Majestic Matterhorn in Zermatt

Matterhorn the popular Swiss mountain majestically towers over the small alpine village of Zermatt. Zermatt is a charming car-free village with pretty chalets adorned with cowbells and colorful flowers. A walk through the village of Zermatt is a delightful experience. If you do not want to walk there are electric taxis that will drive you to the cable car station. If you plan to drive to Zermatt on your own then you would need to park your car in Tasch and thereafter take a shuttle train to Zermatt.

There are numerous vantage points around the famous ski regions of Zermatt which can be accessed by either cable cars or funiculars and offers breathtaking views of the Matterhorn and the alpine region. While the ski regions of Zermatt are paradise for skiers, the Matterhorn draws hikers and mountain climbers from all over the world.

The summit of Matterhorn Glacier Paradise at 3883 m has a terrace which offers 360 deg panoramic view of the Alps from France, Italy, and Switzerland. You can also enjoy the views from the comfort of the restaurant with large panoramic windows. You can also visit the Glacier Palace which is a cave built in the glacier and is decorated with numerous ice sculptures. It hosts fun snow activities like skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing all throughout the year.

Sunnegga Paradise at a height of 2,288 m is another vantage point which offers great views of the Matterhorn. Here instead of a cable car, you need to ride a funicular that runs through a tunnel in the mountain to reach the summit. Sunnegga Paradise is the starting point for the ‘Five Lakes Hike’ or the 5-Seenweg which is one of the best ways to explore the stunning landscape around the Matterhorn. The hiking trail winds through the five beautiful mountain lakes with Matterhorn always in view and the lakes offering a mesmerizing reflection of the Matterhorn.

The Traditional Village of Appenzell

Appenzell is a charming traditional village in Switzerland couple of hours train ride from Zurich and a little more than 3 hours from Bern. The village surrounded by lush green rolling hills of Alpstein looks like it is out of a storybook. The major draw for tourists to this village is the houses in the main street Hauptgasse whose facades are decorated with colorful paintings. These buildings with painted facades house different kinds of shops, cafes, and restaurants. These shops selling handicrafts, local products, cheese, chocolates and much more are great for a shopping spree. The cafes and restaurants with open-air gardens are perfect to try some local delicacies taking in the scenic vistas of the village.

The Appenzell village is the place if you want to experience the traditional customs of Switzerland like the ceremony of return of the cattle from the mountains, yodeling and the Landsgemeinden system where democratic assemblies are held in the open air and members are voted by the public show of hands. A visit to the Museum Appenzell in Hauptgasse is a great way to learn about the history and culture of Appenzell through traditional costumes, folk art, and painting, information on local beliefs and customs.

The Prehistoric Caves of Wildkirchli

Wildkirchli is a popular tourist destination, a train to Wasserauen from Appenzell is about 10 minutes train ride. The train drops you at Wasserauen the last stop on the Appenzell Railway. From Wasserauen its a 7-minute cable car ride to Ebenalp and then about 15 minutes hike down the mountain to the caves of Wildkirchli. There are in total 3 caves which are said to be inhabited by Neanderthals 40,000 years ago. There are a chapel and a small former Hermit’s House in the cave. The Hermit House is a small museum for temporary exhibitions on the history of Wildkirchli.

The postcard-perfect picture of Wildkirchli is the famous 170-year-old the mountain restaurant of Wildkirchli the Aescher guesthouse which clings to the cliffside. It has a restaurant open from May to November you can try some Appenzeller specialties here. Ebenalp is also a popular starting point for several other hiking trails.

The Snow Resort of Titlis

Titlis is a mountain of the Uri Alps at an altitude of 10,623 ft. Titlis located in Central Switzerland offers snow all year and is a popular snow resort. The cable car station to reach the summit of Titlis is located in the alpine town of Engelberg. Engelberg to Titlis is about 2.5 hours train journey from Zurich with a train change at Lucerne. From Engelberg to the summit of Mount Titlis you need to take a series of cable car rides. The last leg of the cable car ride is the most interesting part where the gondola to Titlis summit is a Rotair gondola which revolves 360 deg. and offers incredible views of the Alps.

There is a plenitude of things to do in Titlis. Visit the glacier caves which is decorated with numerous ice sculptures. The entrance to the glacier cave is on Level 1 of the Titlis mountain station. A thrilling walk on the Titlis cliff walk which is Europe’s highest suspension bridge for some spectacular views of the Alps. Ride the ice flyer which will take you to the glacier park where you can enjoy some funfilled snow activities like Snowtubing, mini bob, sit-skis and more. There are a couple of restaurants in the Titlis mountain station where you try some delicious Swiss specialties. We loved the Titlis Panorama Restaurant which offers breathtaking views of the Alps.

Jungfrauch – Top of Europe!

Jungfraujoch also known as the ‘Top of Europe’ is one of the top tourist places to visit in Switzerland. To reach Jungfrauch one has to take a train from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen and then Kleine Scheidegg. From Kleine Scheidegg a cogwheel train will take you to the top. Jungfraujoch is located on a pass in between the mountains Jungfrau and Monch. Jungfraujoch at an elevation of 3,454 m offers splendid views of the Aletsch glacier and Alpine peaks of Jungfrau, Monch, and Eiger.

One can also take a lift to the Sphinx observatory for wonderful panoramic views from the terrace as well as from the panoramic windows of the building.

The ‘Top of Europe’ building has several restaurants, a chocolate shop, souvenir shop and a permanent exhibition providing information on the history of Jungfrau Railway and the Alps. One can also visit the Sphinx Observatory which is an astronomical observatory accessible by an elevator. The open terrace of the observatory offers stunning views of the Jungfrau, Mönch, and Eiger peaks. Do not miss a visit to the Ice Palace decorated with ice sculptures. You can enjoy a range of snow activities like skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing at Snow Park.

Iseltwald Village and the Giessbach Falls

Iselwald is a small charming village located on the shores of Lake Brienz 20 minutes bus ride from Interlaken Ost train station. The quaint village of Iselwald quintessential Swiss village with beautiful chalets at the foot of magnificent mountains set in a picturesque setting. The lakeside promenade and the small squares of the village are adorned with colorful flowerbeds which are great for a leisurely stroll.

Take a boat from the Iselwald village to Brienz village which stops at the Giessbach See funicular station. Take a funicular ride up to the spectacular Giessbach Falls or spend time at the 19th-century Grand Hotel Giessbach which offers wonderful views of the falls from its terrace.

The Town of Roses – Rapperswil

Rapperswil is a historic town on the shores of Lake Zurich about 40 minutes train ride from Zurich City. One can also reach Rapperswil by boat from Zurich which takes around 90 minutes. The major sights of the town of Rapperswil are a remarkable castle, medieval Old Town center and a beautiful lakeside promenade which is great for a leisurely stroll with lots of cafes. The major landmark of the town is the Rapperswil Castle which sits on the hill and offers panoramic views of the town and the lake. Another prominent landmark of the town is 841 m wooden pedestrian bridge that spans the lake and connects Rapperswil with Hurden.

Rapperswil is popularly known as the ‘Town of Roses’. There are numerous rose gardens in Rapperswil town which are in full bloom from June to October. If you are visiting Rapperswil with kids then do not miss a visit to the Knie’s Children’s Zoo and the Alpamare which is Europe’s biggest covered water park.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lavaux Vineyards

Lavaux Vineyards are the famous Swiss wine region with over 830 hectares of vineyard terraces and 30 km of hiking trails. The vineyard terraces are designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and are set in a picturesque location along the shores of Lake Geneva with the magnificent views of Alps. The Lavaux Vineyards stretch from the city of Lausanne to the city of Montreux.

Take a train from Vevey to the village of Chexbres. Chexbres Village has several wine tasting cellars where you can take a tour of the cellar to learn about the winemaking process and taste the variety of wines taking in the spectacular views of vineyards sloping into the lake. We recommend Domaine Bovy which has one of the oldest cellars and the terrace of the restaurant offers great vistas of the lake and the vineyard.

You will come across numerous villages along the hiking trail like Epesses, Lutry, Rivaz, and Saint Saphorin. These villages are great to explore too, they have historic churches and lovely houses with their windows and balconies adorned with flowers. welcomes its visitors to discover unique wines from the vineyards of Lavaux with over 250 wines to choose from. There is an interesting documentary film on the winemaking process hosted in Lavaux Vinorama in the village of Rivaz.

If hiking is not your thing then Lavaux Express and Lavaux-Panoramic are two alternative option to explore the scenic vistas of Lavaux from on board the tourist train.

We believe there can never be an exhaustive list of places to visit in Switzerland. Here is a perfect itinerary for a 4 days Switzerland trip covering the must-visit places in Switzerland. One can choose Geneva, Zurich, Bern or Basel as a base city to explore these places. If you are looking to stay in Basel then check out this guide to the best hotels in Basel.

That first picture makes me want to scream out – watch out for the water!!!!!! I think I would love to Paraglide in Murren. It is one of those things I have always thought about doing, if only I would work up the nerves to do it.

Thanks – this is helpful for my future reference when I travel here. I was not aware of the waterfalls and gorges in Swiss. Am a bit puzzled by the image of you sitting with the house in front of you overlooking the vast pastures . It seems very strange that the house looks smaller than you !

Me and my boyfriend just visited our friends in Switzerland a couple of weeks ago. We only spent 5 days (one in Zurich and 4 in Lausanne), but it was raining most of the time 🙁 We really want to go back as we are in love with the mountains and hiking, and apparently Switzerland is one of the best countries in Europe for spending time in the nature. This post is a great guide – I’ll save it for the next time we’ll go there, which might even be this winter 🙂

Based on my frequent readings, I find Switzerland as one of the friendlier places to visit. That’s why I also included this to my list of places to visit for my Europe trip. Oh my, that lake is so beautiful! so rich!

This is what I love about Switzerland backgrounds and landscape: everything is beautiful, cold, calm and confonding. I can’t believe how precious Mother Nature is and I think we are those kind of people realizing it. Anyway, so much snow! I’ve never been skiing so for me it’s kind of amazing to see haha!

Switzerland is a veritable heaven on earth, and one can never go wrong there, every nook and corner is a visual delight. The country is so richly endowed with natural beauty, that one can only stare at in in awe and wonder.

What a wonderful round-up of places to see and things to do! I have never been to Switzerland, but that may be something I have will have to remedy soon, after seeing all of your wonderful photos! Karen

Oh that was a mini virtual holiday for me. I loved the pictures. Haven’t been to Switzerland yet but I have been insisting to my husband to take me there. We have been to many other countries but this is still left.

switzerland is such a great country! There are so many different places to see and it’s relatively easy to travel there and go from one place to another. We used to travel there quite a lot when our friends were living there. I need to give this post to a friend of mine who is going there during this summer and wants to travel there and see nice places.

I have not been to Switzerland, but I am a fan of swiss chocolates– not to sweet with the right amount of creaminess and bitterness. I liked the photos of Rhinefalls and the mountain alps, a wonderful creation!

The mountains and lakes in Switzerland totally take my breath away. We wanted to visit Bern too when we were in Switzerland but couldn’t due to time. Happy to have seen it through your post now.
xx, Kusum | http://www.sveeteskapes.com

Wow! That must be a unique experience. We stayed in Geneva for more than a year and its our favorite city too. About the Lake Geneva spots, we have covered Chillon Castle and the Lavaux VIneyards. As stated this is not an exhaustive list just the top and the most popular ones.

All these places look surreal Rashmi but Interlaken seems keenly other-worldly in its nature. Brilliant. Switzerland has been on my list for a while, ever since my wife visited and said it was about the cleanest country she had ever seen.

your blog is really informative. just wanted to know few things, we are going for 7 days trip to Switzerland and not sure which place to choose and which one to miss. Being the first time wanted to make it a most memorable . could you please suggest which are the must visit places to cover within 7 days. Moreover we want this to be a relaxed vacation rather than jumping from one city to another .

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We are Rashmi and Chalukya a couple from Mumbai traveling as a family with our 3-year-old daughter Chhavi. We share our travel experiences, tips, and stories through our blog GOBeyondBounds. We aren’t the typical backpackers or the adventure junkies we just love to explore anything that fascinates us. Read More.

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